When a sample such as blood or urine is to be analyzed by automatic analyzers in clinical inspection, there can be diverse kinds of preprocessing to be performed depending on the details of the request for the inspection, such as centrifugation of the sample, dispensing of the sample into dedicated containers for each automatic analyzer, and pasting of barcode labels or the like onto the sample containers. Many hospitals, inspection centers and like institutions have introduced sample inspection automation systems that perform these kinds of preprocessing automatically for economizing on manpower and improving efficiency.
The containers containing samples such as blood or urine are mounted on a carrier called a rack or a sample container holder that transports one or a plurality of sample containers to the sample inspection automation system. Depending on the inspection items to be measured and the details of the preprocessing, the samples are each subjected to diverse processes: centrifugation of the sample; an uncapping process for opening the cap of each container; a dispensing process that involves dispensing the sample into at least one other container (i.e., dispensing from a parent sample container into child sample containers); a labeling process for pasting barcode labels onto the child sample containers; a capping process for closing the cap on each child sample container; a classification and storage process for classifying the parent and child samples preparatory to subsequent processes, and an analysis and measurement process for transporting a child sample rack to an automatic analyzer for analysis and measurement of child samples, among others. Apparatuses equipped with the functions for carrying out these processes are connected by a plurality of transport lines in a manner constituting a sample inspection automation system.
A sample inspection automation system that uses a single holder as its carrier performs the process of switching actual samples with empty holders on a plurality of processing units. For example, when samples introduced on a batch basis are to be mounted onto a holder, when centrifuged samples are to be moved from a centrifugation bucket to a holder, or when child samples prepared by a child sample dispensing process are to be mounted onto a holder, it is necessary to supply each processing unit with an empty holder for holding the sample containers involved. If the process of supplying holders is not carried out quickly, the processing speed of the sample inspection automation system as a whole tends to be lowered.
As one way of supplying racks or holders to the sample inspection automation system, there exists a known method involving setting a large quantity of sample racks beforehand on the apparatuses in order to deal with sample-specific processes, as described in Patent Document 1, for example.
According to Patent Document 2, the installation area for a large quantity of sample racks is reduced by mounting a predetermined number of sample racks on trays that are disposed in multi-layered fashion in a sample rack supply section and a sample rack recovery section, the sample racks being supplied and recovered by means of vertically driven elevator mechanisms.
Patent Document 3 describes a method whereby apparatuses are connected to an endless-type transport line that allows sample racks to be used repeatedly by the apparatuses.
Patent Document 4 discloses a sample inspection automation system in which a dedicated empty holder transport line is set up apart from a sample transport line so that empty holders can be supplied to each processing unit as needed.